Santa Anita cancels Thursday card

ARCADIA, Calif. - Santa Anita has canceled its seven-race program on Thursday, citing continued drainage problems with its synthetic main track and a looming rainstorm expected to drop several inches of rain in Southern California on Wednesday night and Thursday.

The decision was made mid-morning on Wednesday, and is the second day of racing lost this week. The track canceled Monday's nine-race program after approximately 1 1/2 inches of rain fell from Sunday afternoon into Monday.

Racing is scheduled from Friday through Sunday, but no announcements had been made regarding those days as of midday Wednesday.

Track maintenance crews worked to aerate the Pro-Ride brand synthetic surface on Wednesday morning, amid intermittent rainstorms, in an effort to promote drainage. One of trouble spot that has most concerned the track superintendent, Richard Tedesco, is a 30-yard by 10-yard area on the outside part of the track just past the finish line. Tedesco said extensive renovations would be needed in that area to promote drainage before racing could resume.